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2014 Academy Awards Fashion Review

By Cindy Davis | Lists | March 3, 2014 |

By Cindy Davis | Lists | March 3, 2014 |


Welcome to the annual Academy Award fashion roundup, wherein I attempt to make sense of the things people wore. Mind you, I have no more fashion street cred than say, anyone on E!’s Fashion Police; but it hasn’t stopped them, so…

It was an unusual night in that there wasn’t a clear best dress (like Naomi Watts’ gorgeous silver Armani Privé last year), and there were far too many dresses that felt boring and safe. Almost no one took a risk, save Anna Kendrick, and opinions on its success were mixed. Let’s have a look.

Safe Picks, Good Dresses:


Amy Adams in Gucci

This fit like a glove and the color is gorgeous.

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Naomi Watts in Calvin Klein

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Emma Watson in Vera Wang

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Sandra Bullock in Alexander McQueen

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Charlize Theron in Dior

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Bold Choices:


Gabourey Sidibe in Judith Leiber

Great color!

GaboureySidibeJudithLeiber2014.jpg

Anna Kendrick in J. Mendel

I loved this idea of this dress, though plenty of people complained about the mid-section and the top could have done without the sheer part. I still like it better than all the flesh, nude and dishwater colored dresses.

AnnaKendrickJMendel2014.jpg


Best Dressed:


Lupita Nyong’o in Prada

Stunningly pretty color on her; perfectly princessy.

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Jennifer Garner in Oscar de La Renta

The dress didn’t photograph as well as it looked onscreen, but this flapper-ish silver creation was gorgeous.

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Karen O. in Camilla Staerk

Among several in black, this stood out.

KarenOCamillaStaerk2014.jpg


A Festive of Flesh-tones: UGH. I will never, ever understand going to the Oscars in some boring, blah—bloring! flesh, beige, nude, dishwater colored dress. This is the time to live it up, not fade into the background. Oh and you blonde/pale ladies, all these flesh tones do is wash you out.


Cate Blanchett in Armani

I dubbed this the “Charm Dress aka the Fishing Lure Dress aka a fancy craft project made at Michael’s. All I wanted to do was pull out my box of Christmas ornaments and start adding them one by one. Cate, you are so much better than this dress.

CateBlanchettArmani2014.jpeg

Sally Hawkins in Valentino

I adore Sally. I do not adore this dress.

SallyHawkinsValentino2014.jpeg

Sarah Paulson in Elie Saab

SarahPaulsonElieSaab2014.jpg


More “Mehs”: Gorgeous ladies in their just meh best.

Kerry Washington in Jason Wu

She almost pulls it off, but this is basically a sheet—no?

KerryWashingtonJasonWu2014.jpeg

Jennifer Lawrence in Dior

At least it’s a color?

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Kate Hudson in Atelier Versace

I think I’d have like this better without the Dynasty shouldered cape.

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Penelope Cruz in Giambattista Valli

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Anne Hathaway in Gucci

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Lady Gaga in Versace

What, no meat?

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Meryl Streep in Lanvin

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Ageless Beauty: Bette Midler is 68, and she looked great and sounded phenomenal.

Bette Midler in Reem Acra

BetteMidlerReemAcra2014.jpg


I’m Liza; Deal with It:

Liza Minnelli in Vintage Halston

LizaMinelli2014.jpg


Something Went Wrong: .

Viola Davis in Escada

Great color; bad, wrinkled dress. Viola, you’re so much better than this.

violadavis2014.jpg


Worst Dress:

Julia Roberts in Givenchy

What is even happening here? Lace, peplum, sheer boob cover-up panel? This dress belongs to an 80 year old, and even she has a better bra. Liza gets a pass because she’s Liza, but you know better.

JuliaRobertsGivenchy2014.jpeg

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The Couples:


Olivia Wilde in Valentino and Jason Sudeikis in Prada

Speaking of bad boobage… Olivia’s dress looked gorgeous from behind, but when she turned around, something was very wrong with her support gear.

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Chris Hemsworth, and Elsa Pataky in Elie Saab

There have been plenty of pregnant women dressed gorgeously at awards shows. Sadly, Elsa is not one of them. The overlay color is beautiful—that’s all I’ve got.

ElsaPatakyChrisHemsworth2014.jpg

Tara Lipinski in Rani Zakhem; Best Pompadour by Johnny Weir

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Channing Tatum, and Jenna Dewan-Tatum in Reem Acra

ChanningTatumJennaDewanReemAcra2014.jpg

Kristen Bell in Roberto Cavalli, and Dax Shepard

KristenBellCavalliDaxShepardVarvatos2014.jpg

John Legend, and Christine Teigen in Monique Lhullier

JohnLegendChristineTeigenMoniqueLhullier2014.jpg

Harrison Ford, and Calista Flockhart in Andrew Gn

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Will Smith, and Jada Pinkett Smith in Versace

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Matthew McConaughey in Dolce & Gabanna and Camila Alves in Gabriela Cadena

MatthewMcConagheyD&GCamillaAlvesGabrielaCadena2014.jpg


Frumpy and Lumpy:

Christian Bale and Sibi Blazic in Dolce & Gabbana

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Best Couples:

Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Sari Mercer in Suzanne Neville

Stunning.

CHIWETELEJIOFORSARIMERCER2014.jpg


Angelina Jolie in Elie Saab and Brad Pitt in Tom Ford

When first I saw Jolie, I thought she was in another flesh toned dress, but when she got up on stage with Sidney Poitier, I saw it was gorgeous, shimmering silver. (I know, I know, it looks frumpy here!) But still a bitch move grabbing the spotlight at the end there.

JolieElieSaabPittTomFord2014.jpg

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Worst Dressed Couple:

Pharrell Williams in Lanvin, and Helen Lasichanh

Sorry dude. I love your song, but shorts just don’t cut it at the Oscars.

PharrellWilliamsLanvinHelen Lasichanh.jpg

Gotta Look Sharp: The Boys


Leonardo DiCaprio

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Benedict Cumberbatch

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Michael B. Jordan

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Jared Leto

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Martin Scorsese

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Michael Fassbender

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Bradley Cooper in Tom Ford

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Kevin Spacey

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Best Suits:

Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Calvin Klein

Love the texture (and sock color pop).

JGLCalvinKlein2014.jpg


John Stamos

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I’m Just as Uncomfortable with Myself in Real Life as the Characters I Play Award:

Paul Dano

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I Am Bill Murray

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Cindy Davis, (Twitter) awaits your cries of “You know nothing, Cindy Davis!”